TRENTON — New Britain starter Trevor May didn’t make history Monday night, but he did make life miserable for the Thunder.

May, a former Phillies farmhand who was traded to the Minnesota organization in the deal for Ben Revere, took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, but had to settle for six shutout innings as the Thunder fell to the Rock Cats 5-3.

“When you get a game like that against you, there’s not a lot you can do about it,” manager Tony Franklin said.

It was Mason Williams who broke up May’s no-no in the sixth with a single into centerfield. The Thunder were able to load the bases in that inning, but failed to capitalize on their lone scoring opportunity off May when Carmen Angelini flied out.

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“I was struggling the whole game, I’m pretty sure he had my number,” Williams said. “I got down 0-2 quick, and honestly I was really just trying to stay alive and fight a pitch off.”

May’s Thunder counterpart Shane Greene wasn’t quite as effective, giving up four runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out six. May gave up two hits and hit two batters, striking out nine.

The right-hander said he used the potential distraction of the no-hitter to keep him focused.

“I was aware of it, but I’ve had a lot of things that I’ve been working on as the season’s progressed, especially these last few outings,” he said. “Just maintaining the focus pitch-by-pitch, and staying on what I’m doing pitching in the present. I was sort of excited, because I saw it as an opportunity. It’s definitely a big distraction you can get in a game.”

The Rock Cats bullpen was more accommodating. In the bottom of the eighth, the Thunder were able to put a rally together off reliever Daniel Turpen, who gave up an RBI single to Kyle Roller and two-run double to Carmen Angelini.

Turpen was then pulled for Ryan O’Rourke, who promptly struck out Ben Gamel to end the threat.

The only good news for the Thunder took place several hours north, when the Portland Sea Dogs beat the Fisher Cats 10-5 in New Hampshire. That means the Thunder remain three full games ahead of the Fisher Cats for the EL East’s second playoff spot.

“I just came out of the clubhouse, and I told them that 20 years from now you are going to telling your grandkids and your kids how you got up off the floor each night to get this done,” Franklin said. “That’s what’s going to have to happen. We’d all like to put three or four good games together, but it hasn’t happened.”

The Thunder and the Rock Cats will meet again at 7:05 Tuesday for the second game of the four-game set.

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Legendary Princeton basketball coach Pete Carril stopped by the press box to watch a few innings.

Carril coached the Tigers from 1967-96, winning 13 Ivy League titles and the 1975 NIT.